"Huh? Who?" Kalim looked to Jamil expectantly.
"It's Jade from Octavinelle." Jamil responded, "But, he usually worked behind the counter with the drinks. Why..."
"I wanted to know the reason too." Lotus said with a frown and sighed, "If it was someone else, then it would've made sense, but Jade studies tea for a few reason and is knowledgeable in this herbology. So, how could he have made such a simple mistake? I wanted Floyd to talk it over with Jade for information, but I knew it wouldn't work anyway, especially since Floyd's current mood isn't good."
"That reminds me." Kalim noted in confusion, "I did see him trying to study about the tea we brew back home in the courtyard once. He seems to know a lot, but is it really that easy to mix up foxglove with another tea? Also, who would want to use foxglove leaves as a tea?"
Foxglove was a poisonous plant that is common in both worlds. The entire component of the plants is poisonous and can raise the strength and speed of the heart while make others nauseous. Most who consume it or come in contact with it can die. The reason is because Foxglove can speed up heart rates.
"Foxglove leaves can be turned into tea." Lotus spoke up, "However, it's used as medicine and the patient needs to be kept under watch. Foxglove speeds up the heart rate and it can help people who have heart problems sometimes. But, because foxglove are poisonous, so people needs to be very careful with them. People now gets them with permission from the doctor as tea. However, because it looks so similar to comfrey in its tea form, people would make the mistake."
"So, Jade mistaken Foxglove tea for Comfrey?" Jamil responded doubtingly.
"For now, let's say he did." Lotus nodded her head in exasperation.
"What's going to happen to Jade now?" Kalim said nervously.
"The nurse said that he will stay in Ramshackle dorm for the night. Ace and Deuce have taken Floyd back to the Octavinelle dorm." She responded before she smiled slyly, "I need to keep an eye on him and make sure that nothing abnormal happens throughout the night. It'll be all right. Nothing bad will happen to him while he's here. He's our guest, after all."
Seeing her like this, Jamil sighed as he shook his head in irritation, "As long as we aren't dragged into this matter any further."
Lotus smiled, "Of course, I'll make sure that it doesn't come to that point. Your only involvement would be to identify some objects and such. You're the only one in my contacts that have a merchants background. It'd be more idea to find a florist or botanist, but Raaji is already struggling to keep up with his homework. So I had to bother you for help instead. Speaking of Raaji, how is his injury?"
"Ah, he's gotten much better and is making a fast recovery!" Kalim smiled wide.
"He's starting to use his dominant hand again, so he should be back in shape in the next couple of days." Jamil added as he recalled the trouble maker.
"Sounds right on schedule." Lotus smiled, "Glad to hear there was no complications with his recovery. I'll take back the tea and write a brief document regarding this and one of the staff might come by to check with you the credibility of what just occurred today. I don't exactly know what else it may require aside from identification and what you were asked to identify. But, that should be it. If they want to identify the tea again, they'll bring in another person since we're all still students here."
"Got it!" Kalim gave her a wide smile, "We'll be prepared for it!"
"Is that all?" Jamil asked bluntly.
"It should be." Lotus responded, "The nurse and I will just take care of the rest. I'll let Raaji know-"
"Don't." Jamil sighed and took out the notepad Yuu had left on the drawer. After he scribbled something on the stack of paper, he handed the notebook to her, "This is my number. Next time use it. It would be improper for outsiders to know of our activities all the time."
Taking the paper, Lotus recorded it onto her phone and thanked them.
"Then, we should be taking our leave." Jamil responded.
"Yeah." Kalim yawned, "It's getting late. So, we're going back now. But, you can always call us if you need help again, Lotus! See ya next time!"
With that, the two left the dorm leaving Lotus to close the door behind them.
...
By the time she had returned to her room, she was exhausted and collapsed onto her bed again.
"It was just one thing after another. How annoying!"
The owner of the voice flew out of her ring and sat down on the pillow beside her.
"As if you didn't go through enough today, those guys have the gal play around during your rest!" Ying Hui cried out with puffy cheeks as she pouted, "I have to say, master, you went too easy on them today! You shouldn't have let them go! Didn't Crystal informed you how crazy that Jade guy is?! He dare to create a scene in front of master. He clearly knew that master was resting too! He must've planned all this for no good reason. We have to make him regret doing something like that!"
"It's all right..." She responded with a soft chuckle and sat back up again, "We're all tired today."
"But..."
Lotus patted her head with a smile that reduced all further arguments that had once sprouted in the spirit's mind and summoned the still silence around them.
"It is all right, Ying Hui. Thank you for being concerned for my health. However, Jade is now a guest of Ramshackle dorm." Lotus said with a smile before she continued with a sly grin, "Since he's a guest, we must welcome him with open arms. So, let's prepare a gift for him."
Hearing this, Ying Hui's eyes lit up with an overjoyed look as she nodded her head energetically, "Mh! Just tell me what you need me to do and I'll make sure that it is done!"
Lotus laughed, "Thank you, Ying Hui. However, you don't have to do anything yet."
"Huh?"
Lotus didn't continue which gave Ying Hui the shivers, but seeing that mischevious smile brought a sense of comfort that this girl would be all right in the end. Ying Hui smiled and said in relief, "Then, I'll let you rest. I need to check on that little rascal. If I'm not around, he would always go running off to play with Crystal's butterflies."
With Lotus's nod, Ying Hui returned to her ring. With a small smile, Lotus laughed upon realizing how strange it was today. Out of the blue, she had gone from having a bad day into a day of excitement! Meeting a person of beauty and a haughty manner brought her great irritation and then there was her poisoning. However, in just a blink of an eye she was soon in the presence of the Zhang siblings and visited by an acquaintance who wanted some fun and lightened the mood even at the risk of his own life. Finally, there was Ying Hui and the others who would always appear when they could to protect her and comfort her after even without being asked to. Thinking this, Lotus couldn't help but recall her past again. Whenever something unfair happened, she would be the first to complain about it once they left alone together and, when the unfairness was targeted toward Lotus, she would only become all the more upset. Whenever she was hurt, they would arrive and care for her.
"Xiao Li."
After hearing her words, the guy popped out of her ring and responded, "Yes, master?"
"Thank you for sorting things out in my stead today with the others." Lotus responded with a wide and tired smile.
"It's fine, but are you all right?" Xiao Li looked to her nervously, "Your... injury... It's been triggered again."
Lotus waved a hand and laughed lightly, "Same old, same old..."
However, the smile became smaller as she continued softly with eyes slightly narrowed, "It's time that I start improving the pill again."
Hearing this, Xiao Li gritted his teeth together bitterly as her gaze fell upon her suitcase that sat next to her closet. However, despite this, she could feel the frustration from behind her. If she could she'd keep it all a secret, but contracts aren't to be taken lightly. Once contracted, emotions and thoughts could be shared as easily unless one was able to control the contract much more easily.
"Will you be going back into closed doors cultivation again, master?" Xiao Li questioned her hesitantly.
Lotus shook her head, "No. School will resume in a few days and I have made promises that must be kept this holiday. Just send me books while I'm resting."